Wand
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A wand consists of a thin, straight, hand-held stick of wood, ivory, or metal, approximately 30 cm (a foot) long and up to 25 mm (an inch) in circumference. Generally, in modern language, wands are ceremonial and/or have associations with magic but there have been other uses, all stemming from the original meaning as a synonym of rod and virge, both of which had a similar development.
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Metrology
The wand is also a pre-Norman unit of length used in the British Isles equal to approximately the modern metre, apparently dating from an early use as a yardstick (originally as a generic term). The 'wand' survived for a time under the Normans. Then when the yard was established, the wand came to be known as the 'yard and the hand', and then disappeared, either slowly or by being banned by law.
The old English unit of 1007 millimetres was called a 'wand', and although the 'yard' was created to replace the wand the wand was still used for some centuries because of its convenience as part of an old English decimal system that included:
10 digits (base of long finger) about 20 millimetres
10 digits = 1 small span (span of thumb and forefinger) 200 millimetres
10 small spans = 1 armstretch (1 fathom from finger tip to finger tip) about 2 metres
10 fathoms = 1 chain about 20 metres
10 chains = 1 furlong about 200 metres
10 furlongs = 1 thus-hund of about 2000 metres
The wand that has survived today as part of folklore may in fact be a rendition of the ancient British length unit. Thus a true wand would be a metre in length and not 30 cm.
Symbolism
- In ecclesiastical and formal government ceremonial, special officials may carry wands or staves of office representing their power. Compare in this context the function of the ceremonial mace, the sceptre, and the staff of office.
Religious Usage
In Wicca and Ceremonial Magic, practitioners use wands for the channeling of energy—they serve a similar purpose to the athame. Though traditionally made of wood, they can also consist of metal or crystal. Practitioners usually prune a branch from an Oak, Hazel, or other tree, or may even buy wood from a hardware store, and then carve it and add decorations to personalize it; however, one can also purchase ready-made wands. In Zoroastrianism, there is a similar ritual implement called a barsom.
Tarot cards
"Wands" is also another name for the suit of batons, a suit of the minor arcana of the Tarot. It is normally associated with the element of fire.
Other uses
- In music, the term sometimes applies to a conductor's baton (only the modern model, the earlier staffs of cantors etcetera were heavier and thus unfit for precise gestures).
- In literary language, wand can be a synonym for rod as an implement for corporal punishment, in the generic sense: either a multiple rod or -rather- a single branch (switch or cane), but not a physical specific type.
Given their various symbolic and other associations, wands are suitable pervertibles, especially for role play.
Wands in fiction
Magic wands commonly feature in works of fantasy fiction as spell-casting tools. Few other common denominators exist, so the capabilities of wands vary wildly. Note that wands fill basically the same role as wizards' staffs, though staffs generally convey a more 'serious' image; a fairy godmother would definitely use a wand, possibly with a star on the end, while Gandalf as surely would not. In dramatic fiction, wands can serve as weapons in magical duels.
The world of Harry Potter
Main article: Harry Potter Wands
In the fictional world of Harry Potter, as described by J. K. Rowling, wands serve as a focusing tool that enhance a person's capabilities to use magic. Most spells require a wand. The wand shop in Diagon Alley, Ollivander's, sells wands.
Wands have four main characteristics:
- the type of wood used in their manufacture
- the magical substance that gives them their magical properties
- the specific quality of motion when waved
- the length
No two wands have identical characteristics, and Mr Ollivander says he remembers every wand he has ever sold.
Some Potterworld wands:
- Harry Potter: holly wood, 11" (28 cm), supple, single phoenix feather
- Lord Voldemort:yew wood, 13½" (34 cm), single phoenix feather
- Ron Weasley (new wand): willow wood, 14" (36 cm), unicorn tail hair
- Hermione Granger: vine wood, dragon heartstring (source: J.K. Rowling's website: 1 2)
- Cedric Diggory: 12¼" (31 cm), single unicorn hair
- Fleur Delacour: rosewood, 9½" (24 cm), inflexible, Veela hair
- Viktor Krum: hornbeam, 10¼" (26 cm), quite rigid, dragon's heartstring
- Dolores Umbridge: "unusually short"
- Rubeus Hagrid: Oak, 16"
Only humans (or part-humans—as in the cases of Fleur Delacour and Hagrid) may use wands according to British wizarding law.
Role-playing and video games
In role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons and D&D-derived computer role-playing games such as NetHack, wands function as storage devices for specific magical spells, which a wielder can only use a certain number of times before running out of "charges". Wands allow non-wizard player characters to use spells, and also enable wizards to use spells they couldn't ordinarily cast.
Wands also feature in a number of other fantasy video games, such as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, in which they usually serve as one of many weapons available to the player's character.
Wands sometimes don't have any meaningful purpose or effect on gameplay, but are just parts of the story, as in Puyo Pop Fever, where Miss Accord, a character of the game, has lost her wand that she calls her "flying cane."
